Mail-bag catcher and deliverer.



M11-whack 6 6 @M n www,

MAIL BAG CATGHBR AND DELIVERBR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1912.

Patented Jan. 14,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

cLUMBlA PLMWQKAPH co., wAsHlN c.

M. P. HEATHOOCK.

MAIL BAG ATCHBR AND DELIVERR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2011912.

1,050,651 Pand Jan. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Sme/who@ COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH c0\\/AsHxNGTON. D, c.

MARIA F. HEATHCOCK, OF PRINCETON, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BAGVCATCHER AND DELIVER/ER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 14, 1913.

Application filed July 20, 1912. Serial No. 710,569.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, MARIA F. HEA'rHcooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Princeton, in the county of Bureau and .State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers and Deliverers, of which the following is a specilication.

The present invention relates to improvements in mail bag catchers and deliverers, and resides in the novel construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in applied position upon a station post. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the salne. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken at a plane with the shaft 7. Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the manner in which the device is operated by a'passing train.

While in the accompanying drawings, the improvement has been illustrated as applied only to a station post, it is to be understood that the same may be applied with equal eilciency upon a train, whereby mail may be delivered from the train to the station, as well as received by the train from the station.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates a suitable frame comprising the station post, the same being arranged within close proximity to the rails over which the mail car travels. Arranged upon the post 1 is a support 2,`which may be of any desired or preferred construction, the support 2 preferably comprises a flanged member, the lower wall of which being provided with atransversely arranged bar or plate 3, the same not only reinforcing the member 2, but extending a suitable dis# tance beyond the flanged sides thereof provides means whereby the said support may be attached to the frame comprising the post without necessitating the securing` bolts being passed through the support.

The numeral 4 designa-tes the mail bag receptacle and chute. This member 4 is also flanged and is preferably provided with a partition 5 which forms the bottom proper, and arranged between this partition and the base 6 of the said member 4, and extending transversely thereof, and through the sides of the said member is a shaft 7. The projecting ends of the shaft 7 are received in suitable bearings 8 provided upon the flanged sides of the member 2, and surrounding the shaft 7 and exerting a tension between the support 2 and the member 4 is a spring 9. This spring is adapted to nor* mally swing the member 4 upon the shaft 7, to force the mail by impact through the door of a passing mail car as will presently be set forth.

The numeral 10 designates an eye which is secured upon one of the side flanges of the support 2 adjacent the open end of the said support, and' connected with the said eye is a hook 11. One of the side flanges of the member 4 is provided with an outwardly extending stud 12 with which the hook 11 is adapted to engage to sustain the member 4 substantially in a plane with t-he support 2 until after the sa-clis of` mail have been placed within the said member.

The outer and open end of the member 4 is provided with a downwardly extending lip 13 the said lip being provided with a suitable opening 14, while pivotally connecting within a suitable bearing 15, which is arranged upon the post frame 1 is an outwardly extending arm 16. This arm is provided adjacent its free end with a rod 17 which extends from both of the sides of the said arms. The arms 16 are permitted a swinging movement by the bearing 15, as well as a limited upward and downward movement, and whereby either of the extending port-ions of the rod may be brought into engagement with the opening 14 provided upon the lip 13, in accordance with the direction of the travel of the train, as will presently be set forth.

The train is designated by the numeral 18, and arranged slightly forward of the open doorway thereof is a striker arm 19. This arm may comprise a single member which is at all times retained within the path of the arms 16, and which striking the same, after the hook 11 has been released, will swing the rod 17 out of the opening 14 of the lip 13 to permit of the spring exerting a tension to swing the member 4 upon its shaft 7, and thus throw or force the mail sacks from the member 4 to within the car. The hook 11 1s employed only to sustain the member 4 parallel with the support 2 until the mail is placed within the said member 4, after which the mailman descending the post throws the member 16 into engagement with the lip. The hook 11 is then disengaged, and it is obvious that by arranging either of the ends of the rod 17 Within the opening of the lip, in accordance to the path of travel of the train, the striker arm 19 of the said train Will contact With the arm 16 to permit of the action of the device to deliver the mail to the train. It is also to be understood that if the desired apparatus may be arranged upon the car, in which instance a striker arm, similar to the striker arm 19, Will be arranged upon the station.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim is 1. In a device for the purpose set forth, a support, a member trunnioned to the support, a spring for normally swinging the member in one direction upon the support, a hook member embodying an auxiliary means for sustaining the member parallel With the support, a loosely mounted arm provided upon a support, and the said arm adapted to be swung into engagement With the member to normally sustain the same parallel with the support after the hook has been disengaged, and a striker arm co-aoting With the sustaining arm.

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination with a station post, a flanged support upon the post, a {ianged member arranged Within the support, a. shaft arranged transversely of the member and mounted in bearings upon the support, a spring surrounding the shaft and exerting a tension between the member and the support, a lip for the member, said lip being provided With an opening, a bearing upon the post, an arm loosely connected With the bearing, said arm having its extremity provided With a rod which extends beyond the opposite sides of the said arm, either of the extending members of the arm adapted to be received Within the opening of the lip, and the said arm being arranged Within the path of a contact member substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MARIA F. HEATI-ICOCK.

Witnesses:

M. C. SUNDELL, J. H. RAwsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

